This invention relates generally to shipping containers and, in particular, to a collapsible shipping container which is attachable to a four-way pallet by means of a plurality of resilient snap-lock fasteners which aid in sustaining the load carried in the container.
One of the major expenses incurred in the shipping industry is the uneconomical shipping of empty containers back to their place of origin after their contents have been delivered. In order to decrease the bulk of empty shipping containers and thereby increase the cargo capacity of cargo carriers, modern shippers have turned to collapsible containers which may be stored in the flat but may be subsequently erected for receipt of goods. In general, the combination of a shipping pallet and a knockdown shipping container is known. Tucker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,459 shows such a knockdown shipping container attached to a four-way pallet. Such shipping containers may be made out of a variety of material such as corrugated paper, aluminum, plastic, etc. Likewise, the pallets may be made out of metals or plastic materials such as polystyrene. Similar collapsible, palletized shipping containers which may be transported in their knocked-down state are disclosed in Severn U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,026,015; Kuppersmit 3,433,737; and Carroll 3,514,030.
One difficulty with modern systems is that they are often difficult to erect. A major problem in this regard is the connection of the pallet to the upper storage area of the container. The inventor has discovered that by the use of special pins it is possible to quickly and efficiently secure the pallet section to the upper storage section with a minimum of wasted effort and with a maximum of strength and security. In particular, the inventor uses a resilient snap-lock fastener comprising a pair of resilient arms extending from a base. Said arms compress inwardly to pass through a recess located to the pedestal feet of the shipping pallet and snap back to engage the lip of the recess in a groove formed by a pair of flanges carried on said arms. One member of said flange pair provides a cam surface which cooperates with the lip to inwardly compress the resilient arms as they pass through said recess. The other of said flange member provides a load-supporting surface which cooperates with the lip of the recess to help sustain the load contained in said containers. In this manner, a workman can secure the upper storage area to the pallet in a matter of minutes. For purposes of applicant's invention, he uses a pallet composed of an upper and lower half which includes raised portions which, when connected together, form the pedestal feet of the pallet. Cushman U.S. Pat. No. 2,699,912 and Westlake, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,496 show pallets composed of upper and lower halves which are fastenable at the midsection of the foot portions thereof.
However, the particular fastening means do not appear to be disclosed in the prior art nor is the recognition and solution of the problem involved disclosed therein. Additionally, the cardboard forming the panel sections has been plied from the corner to outer edge to permit the panels to be bent outwardly enabling the contents of the carton to be inspected without disassemblying the container.
Further, thrust absorbing tabs are included by which vertical forces on the panel are converted into a horizontal component by a pivot action and are thereby absorbed by the corners rather than the relatively weaker wall.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shipping container which may be quickly and efficiently erected.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a shipping container which may be readily disassembled and stored conveniently when not in use.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a rugged shipping container which will withstand normal shipping use but which is readily accessible for inspection when necessary.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible shipping container which includes a four-way shipping pallet base and a collapsible upper storage section which is connectible to said pallet by means of a plurality of pins.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a shipping container with internal thrust-absorbing tabs for improved vertical stacking strength.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a plurality of snap-lock fasteners for securing the base of a shipping container to a four-way pallet and for aiding in sustaining the load in said containers, having a pair of resilient arms extending from a flatbase compressible inwardly and adapted to cooperate with the lip of a recess to enable passage therethrough and engagement of said lip.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood upon a reading of the following specification taken in view of the attached drawings wherein;